Advances in computing and networking technology have made new forms of media content possible. For example, virtual reality media content is available that may immerse viewers (or “users”) into interactive virtual reality worlds that the users may experience by directing their attention to any of a variety of things being presented in the immersive virtual reality world at the same time. For example, at any time during the presentation of the virtual reality media content, a user experiencing the virtual reality media content may look around the immersive virtual reality world in any direction with respect to both a horizontal dimension (e.g., forward, backward, left, right, etc.) as well as a vertical dimension (e.g., up, down, etc.), giving the user a sense that he or she is actually present in and experiencing the immersive virtual reality world.
The creation and distribution of quality media content, including virtual reality media content, is often associated with significant costs and challenges. Accordingly, media content owners and providers seek to protect the value of media content by requiring that the media content be accessible only to authorized viewers. Media content owners and distributors typically seek not only to protect media content from unauthorized access and/or misuse, but also to provide authorized viewers with quality user experiences with the media content. Existing media content distribution technologies provide certain limited media content access controls designed to protect media content from unauthorized access. There remains, however, a need for new and/or improved access control technologies that enhance protection of the media content and/or user experiences with the media content, particularly with respect to virtual reality media content.